Cutting-machine.



A. B., F. L. & H. A. IRELAND.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

3 SHEETS CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 6. 1910.

A. B., F. l.. 6L H. A. IRELAND.

CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man ocT. s. 1910.

Patented D90. 21, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. B., F. L. L H. A. IRELAND.

CUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION man QcT. 6. 19m.

Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

3 SHEETS--SHEET 3.

A BERTSELL IRELAND, FRANK L. IRELAND, .AND HERBERT A. IRELAND, 0F NORWICH, NEW YRK.

CUTTING-MACHINE.

Application filed. October 6, 1910.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, A BinrrsnLL IRELAND, FRANK L. IRELAND, and HERBERT A. Inn- LAND, citizens of the United States, residing at Norwich, in the county of Chenango and State of New York, have invented certain` Improvements in Cutting-Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures. f

This invention relates to machines for slitting cloth or other fabrics, the term fabric being intended to include within the scope of its designation cloth, paper, leather and other materials which comein webs or sheets suitable to be operated upon by a machine of the type herein disclosed.

More particularly, the invention relates to a machine for preparing a web or sheet of cloth or other fabric for use in various manufacturing operations, the machine herein illustrated being especially adapted for slitting a web or sheet of cloth into strips and folding over the edges of these strips to prepare them for use as bindings, facings, button stays, etc., in the manufacture of garments. It will be understood, however, that many features of the invention, both separately and in different combinations, are susceptible of wide application.

An object of the invention is to provide improved means for slitting a web or sheet of fabric into strips of definite widths.

'llo this end the invention contemplates the provision of novel means for equalizing the lateral tension in the web or sheet of fabric and for removing wrinkles and folds before the fabric is operated upon by the slitting cutters, the provision of such means being especially advantageous in a machine of the type herein illustrated, in which a succeeding folding operation is performed upon the strips.

Although the folding mechanism herein shown embodies several novel features of construction, claims to the specific structure of said mechanism will not be made herein in view of the fact that such mechanisms have acquired a distinct status in the art. lt will be understood however that we do not renounce our right to make such mechanism the subject matter of a separatev application, nor do we renounce our right to claimbr Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 21, MM5.

Serial No. 585,622.

herein those novel combinations which include folding mechanism generically, regardless of their specific construction, or those combinations which include elements of the preferred construction herein shown which are especially useful when a folding mechanism is employed, but which are also useful when the folding mechanism is dispensed with, for example, a combination which 'includes means for applying heat and pressure.

From the foregoing it will be noted that an important object of the invention is the provision of a machine for slitting a web or sheet of fabric into strips and folding over the edges of the strips, which will not only produce bindings, or the like, of definite widths and of uniform character throughout, but will also use up the roll or bolt of fabric with a minimum of waste.

Other objects of the invention are, the provision of novel measuring means and of means coperating with the measuring means for automatically stopping the operation of the machine when a measured quantity'of fabric has been operated upon, and the provision of novel means whereby the operator can control, from one end of the machine, both the operation of the machine and the positioning of the roll or bolt of fabric to compensate for lateral displacement thereof due to inequalities in winding or folding or to inequalities in the width of the fabric in different parts of its length.

Still other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a considera-- tion of the following description and claims in connection with the accompanying drawings,l which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of. a preferred embodiment of the invention, this view showing the front, the top and the left hand side of the machine; Fig. 2 isa sectional detail of the means for equalizing the lateral tension in the web or sheet as it moves toward the slitting cutters; Fig. 3 is another perspective view of the machine, showing the top, the rear end, and the right hand side of the machine; F ig. tis a perspective view of one of the folders; Fig. 5 illustrates the nature of the work performed by the machine; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the machine, this view showing the course of the fabric through the machine; Fig. 7 is a broken longitudinal section through the winding means; Fig. 8 is a view showing the arrangement of the gears for transmitting movement from the driving pulley to the different mechanisms; and Fig. 9 is a detail perspective of the clutch tripping means.

The machine herein illustrated comprises a main frame 2 of such proportions as to support the operative parts of the machine Within convenient reach of the operator.

vFixed in the frame is a shaft fl upon which is mounted, to turn freely thereon, a pulley 6 connected to any suitable source of power. Of the various mechanisms which make up the machine, some have their bearings in the main frame 2 and others have their bearings in a raised part of the frame which, for convenience, may be designated as the head 8. The head 8 is pivoted upon the fixed shaft 4e and is normally held rigid with the main frame 2 by set screws 10 screwed into the main frame and received in slots 12 in said head.

The cloth or otherfabric to be operated "upon, if it comes in a roll, is preferably mounted upon the rod 14s to turn thereon in unwinding. The rod 14; is confined by fixed collars 16 against endwise movement in the forked upper ends of pivoted studs 18 carried by brackets 2O `and 22 hinged to the back side of the frame 2. 'An arm 24C rigid with the bracket 22 and extending at right angles thereto is linked by a rod 2G to a bellcrank lever 28 provided with a handle 30 which may be grasped by the operator to swing the 'brackets 2O and 22 about their 'Vertical pivots and thus keep the cloth or other fabric properly centered as it is unwound from the roll. lf the cloth comes in folds or other forms, it may be supported outside the machine and guided over the rod la, and suitable spacing members may be clamped upon the rodV let to guide cloths of different widths or to hold the roll in proper position, as the case may be. As the cloth enters the machine it is preferably put` under longitudinal tension and to this end it is preferably caused to turn a roll 32 against the resistance of frictional retarding means, the illustrated means comprising a strap 34 which passes over a friction wheel 36 fast upon the shaft 3S which carries the roll 32. The strap 34k is pivotally connected at one end to the frame and at its other end supports a weight carrier 40, upon which dierent numbers and sizes of Weigths may be hung to vary the tension put upon the cloth by the roll S2. The roll 32 is preferably of wood covered with sandpaper and to insure proper engagement of the cloth with the surface of the roll the cloth preferably 'passes under a rotatable shaft 12 as it goes to roll 32 and under a second rotatable shaft 44 as it leaves the roll 32.

After the cloth has received the desired longitudinal tension it is preferably acted upon by means which equalizes its lateral tension and also serves to remove wrinkles or folds, such as are commonly found in rolls of cloth. The illustrated means comprises a roll arranged to be turned by the cloth as it is drawn through the machine, this roll being, for convenience, hereinafter sometimes referred to as the spreading roll. rI`he spreading roll comprises twenty-four slats 48 arranged, twelve upon each end, so that alternate slats project beyond the middle of the roll, the slats being supported upon two pairs of skeleton centers 50 fastened to the rotatable shaft 52 bv set screws 54s. The skeleton centers comprise radially extending spacing members 56 connected by cross pieces 58 upon which the slats e8 rest, each slat being provided with clips 60 and G2 which embrace the cross pieces 5S of the skeleton centers and confine the slats against radial movement while permitting limited longitudinal movement in directions parallel to the axis of the shaft 52.

Means is provided for effecting the longitudinal movements of the slats 18 as the spreading roll is rotated by the cloth or other fabric passing over it, the illustrated means comprising upper and lower spiral face cams 611 and 66, respectively, upon each end of the spreading roll, these cams being bolted to the frame 2 and being arranged to engage cam rolls (iS upon the outer clips G2 of the slats f8 as the spreading roll turns. The upper cams Gelare so constructed and arranged that they progressivelv move apart the slats above the middle of the roll as the cloth turns the roll, thereby causing a gradual spreading or stretching` action upon the cloth which tends to smooth it laterally and to equalize the lateral tension in the cloth before it reaches the slitting cutters, whereby strips of uniform widths and characteristics are insured, and whereby, furthermore, the succeeding edge folding operation is facilitated. The lower cams 66 move the slats inwardly as they pass below a horizontal plane through the middle of the roll and out of engagement with the cloth and thus bring them into position for another spreading action as they rise again above said plane and come again into engagement with the cloth. A, groove 70 in the shaft 52 receives a corresponding projection of the bearing to keep said shaft from endwise movement. After the cloth or other fabric has been operated upon by the spreading roll it preferably passes over and turns a measuring roll 72, said measuring roll being so located as to guide the cloth to the Aslitting mechanism. T he measuring roll has la circumference which is preferably some aliquot part of a yard, for example one half ,yard, whereby, by simply determining the number of revolutions of the measuring roll, the number of yards may readily be determined.

Preferably the measuring roll is connected to mechanism whereby the machine is automatically stopped when a. predetermined number of yards of cloth has been operated upon. The illustrated mechanism comprises a pin 74 upon the shaft 76 of the measuring roll 72, the pin 74 being arranged to engage a tooth of a six-toothed wheel 78, upon the inside of the frame 2, and to turn said wheel one-sixth of a rotation each time the shaft 76 makes a complete rotation. The wheel 7 8 is fastened upon a shaft 80 which projects through the frame 2 and carries outside the frame a collar 82 adjustably confined upon said shaft by a set screw, said collar being provided with a lug or pin which engages successively the pins of one of the rows of equally spaced pins upon a pin-wheel 84. The pin-wheel 84 is provided with a tappet 86 which is brought into engagement with an arm 88 upon a rock shaft 90 once during each rotation of the pinwheel 84, thereby raising the arm 88 and rocking the shaft 90. The time of rotation of the pin-wheel 84 may be varied by adjusting the collar 82 toward and away from the center of said wheel, thus varying the number of vards which are required to pass over the roll 72 to cause the pin-wheel 84 to make a complete rotation. A spring 92 surrounding the rock shaft 90, connected at one end to said shaft and at its other end to the frame 2, tends to keep the arm 88 in engagement` with the pin-wheel 84. At the other end of the shaft 90 and extending radially therefrom in a direction opposite to the direction in which the arm 88 extends, is a second arm 94. The arm 94 carries a lug 96 which projects therefrom beyond the end of the shaft 90, the end of the shaft 90 being behind the clutch operating link 98 (see Fig. 1). The link 98 is forked at its front end and embraces between the fork members a lever 100 fulcrumed upon a stud or stationary shaft 102, a spring 104 upon the shaft 102 tending, normally, to move the upper end or handle 106 of the lever 100 toward the front of the machine. On its under side the link 98 is provided with a lug or stop 108 arranged to be engaged by the lug 96 upon the arm 94, when the link 98 has been pushed toward the rear to actuate the clutch and start the machine, and to lock the link 98 and lever 100 in their clutch actuating positions. Vhen the arm 88 is raised by the tappet 86 the shaft 90 is rocked in the direction to move the lug 96 out of engagement with the stop 108 and to permit the spring 104 to move the link 98 and lever 100 into clutch releasing position. The lug 96 and the stop 108 are provided with cooperating inclined surfaces whereby the lug 96 is caused to spring into position behind the stop 108, under the action of the spring 92, as the link 98 is moved into clutch actuating position. The link 98 is connected at its rear end with an arm 110 of a clutch controlling lever fulcrumed on the stationary shaft 4. The link 98 is preferably formed of two telescoping parts held normally apart by a spring 111 whereby the eXcess movement of the lever 100 over that required to set the clutch may be taken up by a contraction of the link against the tension of the spring 111. This construction also permits an easy starting of the machine.

The clutch controlling lever comprises a hub or sleeve 112 which carries, upon diametrically opposite sides of the shaft 4, cross bars 114. At their outer ends the cross bars 114 are provided with obliquely disposed grooves which receive ribs 116 upon a collar 118 fixed upon the shaft 4. The other end of each of the bars 114 is provided with a downwardly projecting lug 120 which enters al circumferential groove 122 in the hub of the loose pulley 6. rl`he ribs 116 are so inclined to the axis of the shaft 4 that when the clutch controlling lever is turned about said shaft in a clockwise direction (Fig. 1) the pulley 6 will be moved inwardly on the shaft 4 to cause the conical friction surface on the inside of the rim of said pulley to engage friction blocks 123 upon the arms of a spider 124 mounted upon the shaft 4 to turn freely thereon. Rigidly connected with the hub of the spider 124 is a pinion 126 which engages a gear 128 upon the disk cutter shaft 130, said gear 128 forming one of a chain of gears deriving their movement from the pinion 126. i.

Adjustably mounted upon the shaft 130 are disk cutters 132 which coperate with disk cutters 134 upon a second disk cutter shaft 136 connected to the shaft 130 by a gear which meshes with the gear 128. The end of the shaft 130 remote from the end which carries the gear 128 projects through the frame 2 and a set screw 140 in a bracket 142 bears against this end and serves to force the shaft lengthwise and cause the disk cutters 132 to engage closely the disk cutters 134, the shaft 136 being held from length` wise movement with the shaft 130 by a set collar 143 which can also be adjusted to cause the cutters 134 to be brought into close contact with the cutters 132. To furl ther insure proper cutting contact of the cutters 132 and 134 the shafts 130 and 136 are so arranged that their aXes are not eX- actly parallel, that is one end of the shaft 130 is slightly lower (about one fourth of an inch) than the corresponding end of the shaft 136, and at their outer ends the relative elevations of the shafts are reversed.

The edge folders 144 are arranged above the slitting mechanism, as shown especially in Figs. 8 and 6, one of the folders beingv shown in perspective in Fig. e. Each folder is provided with a curved tail piece 146 shaped to hoo-k overa rod 1&8 fixed in the head 8, the folders being adjustably confined upon the rod 14:8 by collars 150 which partially encircle the rod 148 and are provided with set screws 152 to engage said rod. Each of the folders 141 is provided at its l' upper end with a spring tongue 154, which isjformedby leaving the plate 156 (see Fig. diunconnected, at its upper end, with the sides 158 of the folder and Vbending this end do-wn so that it contacts with the opposite plate 160 from which the sides are formed. rEhe spring tongue 154 serves to press down the folds and to prevent their opening up as the strips pass to the winding mechanism, or, as in ther illustrated machine, to the ,means for applying heat and pressure.

In order to insure permanent folds, particularly with the heavier grades of cloth, it has been `found advantageous to apply heat and pressure to the folds before the strips pass to the winding mechanism. 1n the preferred means for performing this operation a heat roll 162, which comprises a tube mounted in roller bearings at its ends, carries electric resistance coils, there being,

preferably, two coils of different resistance with suitable switches whereby threev different degrees of heat may be obtained and maintained. Coperating with the heat roll 162 is a pressure roll 164 having at its ends pintles 166 arranged in slots 168 whereby the pressure roll adjusts itself automatically to the different thicknesses upon which it operates and maintains a uniform pressure upon the material passing` under it. 1f desired vthe pressure roll or the heat roll, or both, may be provided with means for embossing the folds or the strips.

The novel winding mechanism comprisesl a'split shaft, shown in detail in Fig. 7, said. shaft being provided at one end with a gear 170 which` receives its motion from the gear 138 through idlers 172 and 1711. A t its other end the split shaft is provided with a handl wheel 176. Loosely mounted upon the split shaft, between a collar 178 confined upon the part 180 of said shaft and a second collar 182 conned upon the part 184, are separating disks 186 preferably made up of laminas of wood. It will be seen, from an inspection 'of Fig. 7 of the drawings, that one part of the split shaft with lits attached collar may betaken away fromthe other leaving the disks 186 and the rolls of fabric upon the other part, and that then the other part may Ybe placed on end with the tapered end down whereupon the disks and rolls will slide off said tapered end and the disks mavthen be placed again upon the shaft for a. new windina` operation.

T9 Ster-t theaters@ uillesth rateale.

placed between the overlapping parts of the split shaft. lhen the rolls have been started the separating disks 186 may be left free as far as cntrol of their position lengthwise of the split shaft is concerned, since the rolls and the collars 178 and 182 take care of that. Until the rolls are started, however, it is advantageous to provide means for spacing the disks 186. r1`he illustrated means comprises forked slides 188 guided in squared openings in lugs 190 of slide holders 192 adjustably confined upon a rod 194 carried by the head 8. The spacing of the slide holders determines the spacing of the disks 186 since the slides are moved rearwardly until their forked ends embrace the edges of the respective disks 186 when new rolls of strips are to be started. As soon as the rolls have been started suiiiciently to prevent movement of the disks along the split shaft the slides may be withdrawn fro-1n engagement therewith. The forked end of one of the slides near the middle of the row of slides is preferably made long enough so that it will support one part of the Split shaft with the disks and rolls thereon when the other part has been withdrawn.

TvVhen it is desired to adjust the machine to cut strips of different widths the head 8 may be swung about the stationary shaft 4 thereby uncovering` the cutter shafts 180 and 186 and permitting easy access to the disk cutters. l/Vhen the disk cutters have been adjusted along their shafts to give the desired number of strips of the desired width, the folders 14E-l and spacing slides 188 may be adjusted into corresponding positions along their respective supporting rods and the machine will again be ready for operation.

To permit bodily removal of the split shaft from the machine and also to permit relative longitudinal movement of the two parts when placing the ends of the strips between them, the bearings for said shaft are provided with pivoted covers 196 held normally in closed position by locking levers 198 provided with lugs 200 which project over said covers 196.

rllhe novel winding means herein shown and described is not herein specifically claimed. but is made the subject-matter of a divisional co-pending application Serial No. 64,158 filed November 29, 1915.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine of the class described comprising, in combination, cutting means constructed and arranged to cut a web or sheet of fabric into a plurality of strips, each having both of its edges cut, means upon one side of said cutting means for winding the several strips in to rolls, I said, means acting to exert a pull upon the Web or sheet, means upon the other side of said cutting means for resisting said pulling action in order to tension the fabric longitudinally While it is being acted upon by said cutting means, and means for tensioning the Web or sheet of fabric laterally, as it passes to the cutting means, in order to insure uniform Width and straight edges for each of the resultant strips.

2. In a machine of the class described, means for tensioning a Web or sheet of fabric comprising a roll over Which the web or sheet passes, and means for progressively extending the surface of theroll While the Web or sheet is in contact therewith.

3. In a machine of the class described, means for equalizing the lateral tension in a Web or sheet of fabric comprising a spreading roll arranged to be turned by the movement of the fabric and stationary means cooperating With said spreading roll for progressively extending the surface of the roll With Which the Web or sheet contacts.

4. In a machine of the class described, means for slitting a Web or sheet of fabric into strips and means for automatically stopping the slitting operation When a measured quantity of fabric has been operated upon.

5. In a machine of the class described, means for slitting a web or sheet of fabric into strips, means comprising a clutch for controlling manually the starting of said slitting means and means for controlling automatically the stopping of said slitting means comprising clutch tripping means arranged to be actuated When a measured quantity of fabric has been operated upon.

6. In a machine of the class described, means for slitting a'vveb or sheet of fabric into strips, means for Winding the strips into rolls, and means coperating With said Winding means for putting the fabricunder longitudinal tension before it is acted upon by the slitting means, comprising a roll having a friction surface over Which the fabric passes and a friction' brake for retarding the rotation of said roll as it is turned by the movement of the fabric.

7. In a machine of the class described,

means for slitting a Web or sheet of fabric into strips comprising cooperating series of disk cutters arranged upon substantially parallel shafts, means for Winding the strips into rolls, and a pivoted head in Whichsaid Winding means is mounted arranged to be turned about its pivots to uncover the bearings of the cutter shafts.

8. In a machine of the class described, means for slitting a Web or sheet of fabric into strips and means for putting the fabric under lateral tension before it is acted upon by the slitting means, comprising a roll having a periphery formed of a plurality of pairs of slats arranged parallel to the axis of rotation of the roll and means for effecting relative movement of the slats of each pair lengthwise of the roll, as the roll turns.

9. In a machine'of the class described, means for slitting a web or sheet of fabric into strips, a spreading roll for equalizing the lateral tension in the web or sheet before it is acted upon by the slitting means, said spreading roll having its periphery formed of a plurality of pairs of slats extending parallel'to the axis of rotation of said roll, aI cam roll carried by each slat and stationary cams upon the machine frame arranged. to engage said cam roll as the spreading roll turns to effect relative longitudinal movement of the slats of each pair.

10. In a machine of the class described, means for slitting a` web or sheet of fabric into strips, means at the front of the machine for Winding the strips into rolls, means at the rear of the machine for guiding or supporting thefabric as it enters the machine, and means arranged to be operated from the front of the machine for controllably effecting lateral displacement of the guiding or supporting means.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of tvvo subscribing Witnesses.

A. BERISELL IRELAND. FRANK L. IRELAND. HERBERT A. IRELAND. Witnesses:

DAVID F. LEE, JOHN F. LEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

